Mercedes staff principal Toto Wolff revealed each Lewis Hamilton and George Russell had been “overheating” after each drivers skipped Components 1 media obligations following the Singapore Grand Prix.
The championship’s governing physique, the FIA, accepted Mercedes’ request for the drivers to not face the media attributable to their situations after a gruelling 62 laps on the Marina Bay circuit – the primary time since F1 began racing on the venue that the race was not damaged up by a security automobile intervention.
That meant drivers had been afforded no respite from the usually scorching and humid situations, with Russell describing his cockpit as a sauna over staff radio within the closing phases.
Addressing his driver pairing’s well being, Wolff stated: “They’re each affected by overheating however they’re high quality now. They put themselves within the ice baths and I feel that helped a bit.”
Hamilton completed sixth from third on the grid, with a set of soppy tyres for his first stint proving a stumbling block for his race. Russell completed fourth, albeit over a minute down on eventual race winner Lando Norris.
Conceding that Mercedes “learn the race flawed”, Wolff defined the reasoning behind the choice to begin Hamilton on the red-walled tender tyres – a compound solely utilized by Daniel Ricciardo at first of the race.
Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes-AMG F1 Group, talks to the media within the media pen
Photograph by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Photographs
“We took a call based mostly on historic Singapore races the place it’s mainly a procession, Monaco-like, and that the tender tyre would give him a possibility at first,” stated Wolff.
“That was just about the one overtaking alternative. That was the flawed choice that all of us took collectively collectively.
“It felt like a superb offset however with the rear tyre deg that we had it was only one means and that was backwards. So, there was a logic behind it however clearly, it was opposite to what we must always’ve determined, nevertheless it doesn’t disguise away from the truth that the automobile is simply too gradual.
“It was a very painful night. It isn’t about if you have a look at the positions, fourth and sixth, that’s not good, particularly if you find yourself beginning third and fourth.
“The automobile… we battle in the meanwhile at tracks which can be scorching and are robust on traction – right here and Baku. However that is no excuse.
“It’s simply in the meanwhile not what we anticipate from ourselves as a result of in case your quickest automobile is a minute behind the chief it’s simply tough to simply accept.”
